It cannot be argued that Graziano Pelle is the focal point for goal scoring in the Saints squad, however that doesn't tell the full story of a squad who are suddenly starting to spread the goals around.

So far this season Saints have scored 19 goals in only 8 games a phenomenal total and an average of 2.38 per game, however perhaps the most pleasing statistic is the fact that so far 8 players have scored in the Premier League for Saints.

Last season we scored 54 goals in 38 games at an average of 1.42 per game, almost a goal a game less than we have started this season, OK the Sunderland rout has distorted the stats a bit, but even before this game we were still ahead of last term on that stat.

So why are we suddenly scoring more ? perhaps one of the main reasons is that as a team we are starting to spread the goals around a little, so far this season 8 players have scored for us in the Premier league. whereas in the whole of last season only 10 of our players registered on the score sheet, but its not just that, certain areas of the team are now starting to be more productive.

The full backs get forward a lot more, Nathaniel Clyne didnt get a goal in the Premier last season, yet already he has got one plus another in the League cup. likewise on the left hand side, Luke Shaw never scored in his time at Saints, yet Plastic Bertrand has already scored for the club and looks to get forward with far more intent than Shaw ever did.

Likewise the centre of the midfield, last season it contributed little in the way of goals, Schneiderlin, Cork, Davis & Wanyama scored 4 goals between them in the whole of last season, with Cork & Wanyama not scoring at all, already this season Schneiderlin has 3, Cork & Wanyama have 2 apiece with only Davis yet to register, one more goal from these four and they will have doubled last season's total.

Perhaps the biggest key as to why the goals are being spread around is that in DusanTadic we have a player who creates, Adam Lallana quite rightly won the player of the year award last term, but in the entire 2013/14 season he managed only 6 assists, Tadic had 4 on Saturday and has already beaten Lallana's total with 7 so far for the season.

Saints now clearly offer more of a team threat when going forward than they did last season when the style was far more rigid and if the opposition blocked that method then we had little scope to vary our attack.

But there are areas where we are not so potent, so far we have yet to get a penalty in the League, whereas last season that was a significant source of goals to us, also the central defenders are yet to register, last season Jose Fonte chipped in with 3 league goals and Dejan Lovren 2, im sure that Fonte will again get on the score sheet and likewise Toby Alderweireld, they just havent yet.

The good thing to note though is that we still have players in the squad who have goals in them, the aforementioned two central defenders for instance, but it doesnt stop there, Shane Long will get a goal or two, Steven Davis will pop up with the a couple and there will be a few odd names in the equation, last years ten scorers included Yoshida, Gaston Ramirex and Sam Gallagher, this year there will be a few more one off scorers in that vein from the fringes of the squad.

We haven't even mentioned the two long term injuries Jay Rodriguez was the top scorer last season and James Ward Prowse is due a goal.

Overall the situation is good, the fact that the goalscorers are spread across the team and that goals are coming from all areas and not just as they were last season from a limited attacking strategy, will surely bode well for the season.

Photo: Action Images

Fordy added 11:37 - Oct 22 Yep, it's good to see. Who would have thought Cork, Victor and Morgan would have 7 goals between them after 8 league games. The good thing is it makes us harder to play against at home. Last year when teams came to park the bus we kept passing it around in midfield looking for the killer pass into Jayrod and Rickie and when Jayrod was injured we really struggled to score because we didn't have anyone making those runs. Now we have runners from midfield which is very hard to contain even for the best organised sides. Particularly good to see Wanyama get some goals. He has such strength it is worth making the most of it with runs into the box.

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WestSussexSaint added 13:16 - Oct 22 The increased competition for places will have helped encourage players to get on the score sheet as this is a sure fire differentiator, especially with the midfielders. Also carrying a multiple threat actually gives more opportunties for goals. Last season teams worked out if they stopped Lallana and Lambert it severely restricted our goal threat (especially once JRod got injured). The top teams have multiple threats (just look at how many players Man City have that you would consider a goal threat - at least 6). The opposition can only double team so many players allowing opportunities for others.

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darthvader added 12:42 - Oct 23 Mayuka and mane too looked fresh and look likely to grab goals too . Bloomin heck we have a fantastic team . Long may it continue ,I'm dareing to dream , if we can get the results against the other sides around us in the league then....wow
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